North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project
North Wales, UK
| Title: | North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project, North Wales, UK |
| Markets: | Infrastructure |
| Client: | Scottish Power Energy Networks |
| Services: | Landscape planning |
| Region: | United Kingdom |
| Date: | 2017 |
North Wales has been identified as an important location for renewable energy generation. In 2016 the DCO was granted to SPEN for the North Wales Wind Farm Connection, connecting a number of new wind farms to the electricity distribution network.
A number of wind farms were proposed concentrated in and around the Strategic Search Area A – one of the seven areas identified by the Welsh Government as being capable of accommodating large scale wind power developments
SP Energy Networks had agreements in place with a number of wind farms to provide the infrastructure to connect them to the electricity distribution network. This infrastructure included a new substation to collect the power from the wind farms and a new 132kV connection at the existing St Asaph substation.
Gillespies’ team provided environmental and planning advice including route appraisals for the proposed new power line, assessment of landscape and visual impacts (LVIAs), supporting the community consultations, coordinating and producing the Environmental Statement and producing the Planning Statement.
Following the submission of the DCO application, the environmental and planning team also provided assistance throughout the determination process, including responding to questions from the Examining Authority and appearing as expert witnesses.
The DCO was granted in July 2016 and Requirements have now been discharged. The overhead line is now complete.
